From the Titan of Family Dysfunction Anne Tyler's CLOCK DANCE is Fleeting Sappy Storytelling

Anne Tyler is one of America's most highly honored novelist (b MN 1941).  Her novels have earned the Pulitzer Prize (BREATHING LESSONS)  in addition to several nominations for the Pulitzer, a Nat'l Book Award (The ACCIDENTAL TOURIST) the PEN/FAULKNER AWARD (DINNER at the HOMESICK RESTAURANT) and numerous Mann Booker Prize nominations (A SPOOL of BLUE THREAD). However, Tyler has not been without her critics for being overly sentimental and cloying.  I had taken issue with these critiques in the past. I found her writing fierce & disturbing.  I considered her the master of family dysfunction - until now.  CLOCK DANCE is precocious & sparse.  It reads  like an outline for which she never bothered to fill in with complexities and unexpected behaviors.  Willa is the heroine of this novel written in 3 parts; 20 year time span from her childhood home to her first marriage and finally, in her 2nd marriage in her early 60s.  Growing up, Willa & her younger sister lived with a narcissistic, bi-polar mother and a saintly but meek father.  Meek is the trait Willa  emulates in life.  She avoids all confrontations & subjugates herself to two demanding, self-centered husbands.  The 3rd part part of the novel exemplifies Willa as a willing participant to others as she has never figured out what to live for.  Willa gave birth 2 two sons Sean & Ian with her first husband Derek.  Derek was a short tempered, cocky bully.  He dies in a road rage incident with Willa in the passenger seat, an accident he initiated.  Now, in her 60s and at a loss as to how to fill her days with her sons gone and married to Peter, a much older man similar in disposition (irascible and captious) to Derek who spends his days on the golf course.  Willa receives a perplexing call from a woman telling her to come take care of her presumed granddaughter Cheryl as she can no longer be responsible.  Cheryl's mom, Denise is in the hospital recovering from a gunshot.  Denise was at one time Sean's live in boyfriend but not Cheryl's father.  Instead of correcting the woman who called she concurs and flies from AZ to MD to care for both the mother & daughter whom she's never even met.  The adjectives flung at Willa by Denise after Willa has gone to great lengths to help (which is asinine altogether) are pathetic and superficial.  Although Denise does call Willa out on her wishy washy ways.  Willa was hoping her son Sean would come get her for their one planned dinner while in town but she didn't come out and ask Sean.  Instead, Denise asks Willa, "Why just hope? Why pussyfoot around?  Why do you go slantwise?"  CLOCK DANCE is cloying and sentimental.  It's not on step with her previous prize winning novels and not worth the time reading.